the scouts of the valley-第3节

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diquas。　　A　fugitive　could　scarcely　be　trailed　in　the　darkness；　but　the　great　chief　would　spread　out　his　forces　like　a　fan　and　follow。

He　had　been　running　perhaps　three　hours　when　he　concluded　to　stop　in　a　thicket；　where　he　lay　down　on　the　damp　grass；　and　rested　with　his　head　under　his　arm。

His　breath　had　been　coming　a　little　faster；　but　his　heart　now　resumed　its　regular　beat。　　Then　he　heard　a　soft　sound；　that　of　footsteps。　　He　thought　at　first　that　some　wild　animal　was　prowling　near；　but　second　thought　convinced　him　that　human　beings　had　come。　　Gazing　through　the　thicket；　he　saw　an　Indian　warrior　walking　among　the　trees；　looking　searchingly　about　him　as　if　he　were　a　scout。　　Another；　coming　from　a　different　direction；　approached　him；　and　Henry　felt　sure　that　they　were　of　the　party　of　Timmendiquas。　　They　had　followed　him　in　some　manner；　perhaps　by　chance；　and　it　behooved　Mm　now　to　lie　close。

A　third　warrior　joined　them　and　they　began　to　examine　the　ground。　　Henry　realized　that　it　was　much　lighter。　　Keen　eyes　under　such　a　starry　sky　could　see　much；　and　they　might　strike　his　trail。　　The　fear　quickly　became　fact。　　One　of　the　warriors；　uttering　a　short　cry；　raised　his　head　and　beckoned　to　the　others。　　He　had　seen　broken　twigs　or　trampled　grass；　and　Henry；　knowing　that　it　was　no　time　to　hesitate；　sprang　from　his　covert。　　Two　of　the　warriors　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　dusky　figure　and　fired；　the　bullets　cutting　the　leaves　close　to　his　head；　but　Henry　ran　so　fast　that　he　was　lost　to　view　in　an　instant。

The　boy　was　conscious　that　his　position　contained　many　elements　of　danger。　　He　was　about　to　have　another　example　of　the　tenacity　and　resource　of　the　great　young　chief　of　the　Wyandots；　and　he　felt　a　certain　anger。　　He；　did　not　wish　to　be　disturbed　in　his　plans；　he　wished　to　rejoin　his　comrades　and　move　farther　east　toward　the　chosen　lands　of　the　Six　Nations；　instead；　he　must　spend　precious　moments　running　for　his　life。

Henry　did　not　now　flee　toward　the　camp　of　his　friends。　　He　was　too　wise；　too　unselfish；　to　bring　a　horde　down　upon　them；　and　he　curved　away　in　a　course　that　would　take　him　to　the　south　of　them。　　He　glanced　up　and　saw　that　the　heavens　were　lightening　yet　more。　　A　thin　gray　color　like　a　mist　was　appearing　in　the　east。　　It　was　the　herald　of　day；　and　now　the　Indians　would　be　able　to　find　his　trail。　　But　Henry　was　not　afraid。　　His　anger　over　the　loss　of　time　quickly　passed；　and　he　ran　swiftly　on；　the　fall　of　his　moccasins　making　scarcely　any　noise　as　be　passed。

It　was　no　unusual　incident。　　Thousands　of　such　pursuits　occurred　in　the　border　life　of　our　country；　and　were　lost　to　the　chronicler。　　For　generations　they　were　almost　a　part　of　the　daily　life　of　the　frontier；　but　the　present；　while　not　out　of　the　common　in　itself；　had；　uncommon　phases。　　It　was　the　most　splendid　type　of　white　life　in　all　the　wilderness　that　fled；　and　the　finest　type　of　red　life　that　followed。

It　was　impossible　for　Henry　to　feel　anger　or　hate　toward　Timmendiquas。　　In　his　place　he　would　have　done　what　he　was　doing。　　It　was　hard　to　give　up　these　great　woods　and　beautiful　lakes　and　rivers；　and　the　wild　life　that　wild　men　lived　and　loved。　　There　was　so　much　chivalry　in　the　boy's　nature　that　he　could　think　of　all　these　things　while　he　fled　to　escape　the　tomahawk　or　the　stake。

Up　came　the　sun。　　The　gray　light　turned　to　silver；　and　then　to　red　and　blazing　gold。　　A　long；　swelling　note；　the　triumphant　cry　of　the　pursuing　warriors；　rose　behind　him。　　Henry　turned　his　head　for　one　look。　　He　saw　a　group　of　them　poised　for　a　moment　on　the　crest　of　a　low　hill　and　outlined　against　the　broad　flame　in　the　east。　　He　saw　their　scalp　locks；　the　rifles　in　their　hands；　and　their　bare　chests　shining　bronze　in　the　glow。　　Once　more　he　sent　back　his　defiant　cry；　now　in　answer　to　theirs；　and　then；　calling　upon　his　reserves　of　strength　and　endurance；　fled　with　a　speed　that　none　of　the　warriors　had　ever　seen　surpassed。

Henry's　flight　lasted　all　that　day；　and　he　used　every　device　to　evade　the　pursuit；　swinging　by　vines；　walking　along　fallen　logs；　and　wading　in　brooks。　　He　did　not　see　the　warriors　again；　but　instinct　warned　him　that　they　were　yet　following。　　At　long　intervals　he　would　rest　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　so　among　the　bushes；　and　at　noon　he　ate　a　little　of　the　venison　that　he　always　carried。　　Three　hours　later　he　came　to　the　river　again；　and　swimming　it　he　turned　on　his　course；　but　kept　to　the　southern　side。　　When　the　twilight　was　falling　once　more　he　sat　still　in　dense　covert　for　a　long　time。　　He　neither　saw　nor　heard　a　sign　of　human　presence；　and　he　was　sure　now　that　the　pursuit　had　failed。　　Without　an　effort　he　dismissed　it　from　his　mind；　ate　a　little　more　of　the　venison；　and　made　his　bed　for　the　night。

The　whole　day　had　been　bright；　with　a　light　wind　blowing；　and　the　forest　was　dry　once　more。　　As　far　as　Henry　could　see　it　circled　away　on　every　side；　a　solid　dark　green；　the　leaves　of　oak　and　beech；　maple　and　elm　making　a　soft；　sighing　sound　as　they　waved　gently　in　the　wind。　　It　told　Henry　of　nothing　but　peace。　　He　had　eluded　the　pursuit；　hence　it　was　no　more。　　This　was　a　great；　friendly　forest；　ready　to　shelter　him；　to　soothe　him；　and　to　receive　him　into　its　arms　for　peaceful　sleep。

He　found　a　place　among　thick　trees　where　the　leaves　of　last　year　lay　deep　upon　the　ground。　　He　drew　up　enough　of　them　for　a　soft　bed；　because　now　and　for　the　moment　he　was　a　forest　sybarite。　　He　was　wise　enough　to　take　his　ease　when　he　found　it；　knowing　that　it　would　pay　his　body　to　relax。

He　lay　down　upon　the　leaves；　placed　the　rifle　by　his　side；　and　spread　the　blanket　over　himself　and　the　weapon。　　The　twilight　was　gone；　and　the　night；　dark　and　without　stars；　as　he　wished　to　see　it；　rolled　up；　fold　after　fold；　covering　and　hiding　everything。　　He　looked　a　little　while　at　a　breadth　of　inky　sky　showing　through　the　leaves；　and　then；　free　from　trouble　or　fear；　he　fell　asleep。





CHAPTER　II

THE　MYSTERIOUS　HAND


Henry　slept　until　a　rosy　light；　filtering　through　the　leaves；　fell　upon　his　face。　　Then　he　sprang　up；　folded　the　blanket　once　more　upon　his　back；　and　looked　about　him。　　Nothing　had　come　in　the　night　to　disturb　him；　no　enemy　was　near；　and　the　morning　sun　was　bright　and　beautiful。　　The　venison　was　exhausted；　but　he　bathed　his　face　in　the　brook　and　resumed　his　journey；　traveling　with　a　long；　swift　stride　that　carried　him　at　great　speed。

The　boy　was　making　for　a　definite　point；　one　that　he　knew　well；　although　nearly　all　the　rest　of　this　wilderness　was　strange　to　him。　　The　country　here　was　rougher　than　it　usually　is　in　the　great　valley　to　the　west；　and　as　he　advanced　it　became　yet　more　broken；　range　after　range　of　steep；　stony　hills；　with　fertile　but　narrow　little　valleys　between。　　He　went　on　without　hesitation　for　at　least　two　hours；　and　then　stopping　under　a　great　oak　he　uttered　a　long；　whining　cry；　much　like　the　howl　of　a　wolf。

It　was　not　a　loud　note；　but　it　was　singularly　penetrating；　carrying　far　through　the　forest。　　A　sound　like　an　echo　came　back；　but　Henry　knew　that　instead　of　an　echo　it　was　a　reply　to　his　own　signal。　　Then　he　advanced　boldly　and　swiftly　and　came　to　the　edge　of　a　snug　little　valley　set　deep　among　rocks　and　trees　like　a　bowl。　　He　stopped　behind　the　great　trunk　of　a　beech；　and　looked　into　the　valley　with　a　smile　of　approval。

Four　human　figures　were　seated　around　a　fire　of　smoldering　coals　that　gave　forth　no　smoke。　　They　appeared　to　be　absorbed　in　some　very　pleasant　task；　and　a　faint　odor　that　came　to　Henry's　nostrils　filled　him　with　agreeable　anticipations。　　He　stepped　forward　boldly　and　called：

〃Jim；　save　that　piece　for　me！〃

Long　Jim　Hart　halted　in　mid…air　the　large　slice　of　venison　that　he　had　toasted　on　a　stick。　　Paul　Cotter　sprang　joyfully　to　his　feet；　Silent　Tom　Ross　merely　looked　up；　but　Shif'less　Sol　said：

〃Thought　Henry　would　be　here　in　time　for　breakfast。〃

Henry　walked　down　in　the　valley；　and　the　shiftless　one　regarded　him　keenly。

〃I　should　judge；　Henry　Ware；　that　you've　been　hevin'　a　foot　race；〃　he　drawled。

〃And　why　do　you　think　that？〃　asked　Henry。

〃I　kin　see　where　the　briars　hev　been　rakin'　across　your　leggins。　　Reckon　that　wouldn't　happen；　'less　you　was　in　a　pow'ful　hurry。〃

〃You're　right；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Now；　Jim；　you've　been　holding　that　venison　in　the　air　long　enough。　　Give　it　to　me；　and　after　I've　eaten　it　I'll　tell　you　all　that　I've　been　doing；　and　all　that's　been　done　to　me。〃

Long　Jim　handed　him　the　slice。　Henry　took　a　comfortable　seat　in　the　circle　before　the　coals；　and　ate　with　all　the　appetite　of　a　powerful　human　creature　whose　food　had　been　more　than　scanty　for　at　least　two　days。

〃Take　another　piece；〃　said　Long　Jim；　observing　him　with　approval。　　〃Take　two　pieces；　take　three；　take　the　whole　deer。　　I　always　like　to　see　a　hungry　man　eat。　　It　gives　him　sech　satisfaction　that　I　git　a　kind　uv　taste　uv　it　myself。〃

Henry　did　not　offer　a　word　'of　explanation　until　his　breakfast　was　over。　　Then　lie　leaned　back；　sighing　twice　with　deep　content；　and　said：

〃Boys；　I've　got　a　lot　to　tell。〃

Shif'less　Sol　moved　into　an　easier　position　on　the　leaves。

〃I　guess　it　has　somethin'　to　do　with　them　scratches　on　your　leggins。〃

〃It　has；〃　continued　Henry　with　emphasis；〃　and　I　want　to　say　to　you　b